Push button construction



May 26, 1953 H. YOUNG 2,639,932

PUSH BUTTON CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb; '27, 1950 luvsuran llszazzr Vowe- W Arne/vars Patented May 26, 1953 2,639,932 PUSH BUTTON CONSTRUCTION Herbert Young, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to National Brass Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan 1 Application February 27, 1950, Serial No. 146,546

The present invention relates to novel, practical and economical improvements in the push button control associated with the knob for the inner side of a door, in the application for patent,

filed September 2, 1948, having Serial No. 47,43 by Herbert Quigley.

Such push button structure, installed axially in the knob is utilized to open the door from its inner side whether or not the door may be locked against being opened at its outer side, except with a key for such purpose. This push button structure is operatively joined to the locking mechanism for the outer knob by an elongated fiat bar extending through'the door. This flat bar is moved in the direction of its length, when the push button on the inner knob is pushed in and is rotated or oscillated with the turning of said push button. This bar, in the Quigley application previously identified, through its operation, removes the barrier associated with the outside knob which barrier prevents the outside knob from retracting the latch or lock bolt.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to produce a novel, more practical and economical structure, designed to secure like re-. sults in a better and more facile manner, with economy of structure. The invention also per mits the use of one length only of the flat .bar

associated with the push button for difierent thicknesses of the door on which the mechanism of the Quigley previously identified applicationing such bar for a lesser thickness of door. No

breaking removal of end portions of the bar is made for the greatest thickness of door with which the structure is used, and progressively 8 Claims. (01. 292336.3)

longer parts are broken from such bar as the thickness of the door, on which the latch is' installed, is progressively reduced.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevationand vertical section through the novel push button structure, the plane of the section being substantially that indicated on line I--I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the push button, substantially on the plane of line 2--2 of Fig. 1, and

.Fig. 3 is a.-.horizontal section through the push button structure substantially on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 2.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures oi the drawings, and the sections are taken in the directions indicated by the arrows associated with the section lines.

In the environmentwhere the present invention is used, a knob body I, which may be of sheet metal reinforced at its inner side, is open at its end nearesta door on which'it will be installed.

This open end is closed by a closure portion 2.

snapped into place. The knob has a generally cylindrical knob shank *3 of thin metal flanged at its outer end and connected by screws to an adapter 4. The adapter 4 is welded or otherwise permanently connected at the inner side of the outer end of the knob body I. The knob shank 3 extends beyond the inner side of the knob through a sleeve 5 of an escutcheon or rose 6 which, in practice, is permanently secured at the inner side of the door.

The push button I, with which this invention is concerned, is axially located in the outer portion of the knob body. It has a projection 8 flattened at both ends at its outer end. The

knob may be moved bodily inwardly lengthwise of the knob shank 3 into which it telescopes or may be turned about its longitudinal axis by manual engagement of the projection 8. The push button I is normally moved outwardly by a coiled compression spring 9 of relatively light strength. A flat bar II] of thin metal is located axially of the knob shank 3, its outer end portion extending to the bottom of an inner chamber shown in the button I. The bar I0 extends through the door and to the knob assembly at the outer side of the door, as shown and described in the previously identified Quigley application.

In this environment, my invention is applicable, as is about to be described. The chamber within the button I is axially located, of a relatively long length and closed at its bottom by the outer end of the button I The bar I0 is axially located in this chamber. At its end within the chamber its edges are notched at directly opposite points, as indicated at II. One series of notches II only is shown, but between such notches and the other end of the bar similar pairs of notches spaced from each other may be made. holding and engaging means for the bar I0 is located. It is of fiat spring bar stock, having an intermediate section I2 seated against the bottom of the chamber in the button I, from the Within the chamber a yielding or spring ends of which parallel legs l3 extend toward the opening of the button. The legs are reversel.v bent upon themselves in U-turns extending toward each other, and terminate in end portions l4 parallel to the legs l3. The end portions l4 press with a yielding or spring force against opposite sides of the bar l0.

Inwardly" of this ban holding memb'en. a cup member of sheet metal is assembled and installed in the button I. The cup member has a bottom I5 bowed outwardly in concavo-convex form witha rectangular slot at its central portion through which the bar I 0 loosely passes. The walls I! of the cup member engage the ad jacent walls of the chamber the button 1 and, either by press fit or the equivalent thereof, such cup member is fixed to the push. button l and moves therewith. At the outer free edges of the walls [1, triangular tongues it, spaced from each other, are bent toward each other and are located to hold: the legs [3 oria the previously described bar holding? member in p0 si-tiom Su'ch holding engagement requires the bar engaging member described to turn when. the push button is rotated. In assembly, the annular lip shown at the inner end. of the button l is spun or otherwise turned inwardly to holdthe assembled parts in place against: disconnection.

With this donstruction, the bar l0 may be moved axial-1y against the spring 9 of the knob shank when the push button 1 is pressed. Such bar l0 also turns or oscillates upon like operations of the push button. The bar in is also Securely held in its axial location and does not shift therefromi It will be noted that the bar In is turned by the bottom 15. of the cup member when the edges of: the rectangular opening l6 therein bear against the bar, and that the force applied to the bar for such turning is inwardly beyond the innermost notches II. This is true irrespective of whether or not the bar I0 is shortened by breaking off portions at any selected pair of notches H. The turning force applied to; the bar I! is not transmitted through any weakened portion of the bar at such notches, insuring against the bar breaking in service at the notched and weakened portions.

The structure described is useful and practical and is one which has been adopted in manufacturing the structures, like that shown in the above identified Quigley application or those which work upon identical principles having substantially identical structure.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of. all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim-z 1. A knob, a shank centrally thereof having a. longitudinal opening therethrough, a longitudinally movable and rotatable push button centra-lly of said knob at the outer portion thereof and extending into said shank, said push button having a chamber from its inner end outwardly, closed at its outer end,a flat bar lengthwise of said k'nob shank extending into said chamber, 'a member within said chamber at the inne'rportion of the push button having a passage through which the bar passes secured to said push button, a locating 'element'w'ith'in the chamber yielding-1y engaging said bar at opposi't'e sides, means for operatively connecting said member with said '10 catingelementto cause'them to move in unison with 'the push button.

2. In a "structure as described, a generally cylindrical knob slrank. a knob secured thereto at the outer portion of the shank, a push button slidably and rotatably mounted on said knob and shank, the push button extending into the shank, said push button having an axial chamber open at its inner end and closed at its outer end, a spring in the knob shank normally moving the push button outwardly, a flat bar 10- catecti lengthwise and axi'all'y'in, cue. knob; shank, having its outer end portion extending into said chamber, a cup member secured in the inner portion of said chamber to the push button, having a lusttomv with a slot therein through which the bar passes, said cup member at the outer edges of tlre'sidee thareof having inwardly extending projections, and a locating and holding member of generally U-shape, having a pair of inwardly extending legs and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion bearing against the closed end of said chamber and against which the outer end of said bar engases, and. inwardly extending side the-terminal portions of which bear against. said bu at opposite. sides thereof, said legs extending between spaced projections of said our: member. said. opening in the, bottom. of the cup member; through which the bar passes being of a term.

complementary to the cross-section of the bar.

whereby the bar is turned. about its longitudinal axis on rotation of said push button.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, whereinsaid. projections on said cup member are disposed in pairs and said locating and holding member is formed of an elongated. bar of. flat metal, the inwardly extending legsof which lie between the projections of opposite pairs of projections, and

being return bent to provide terminal portion! yieldingly pressing against opposite'sides of said.

bar.

4. In a structure as described, a cylindrical shank, a knob secured to the shank, a pushv button rotatably and longitudinally mounted, on.

said knob and extending into shank. Said-push button having a chamber extending from its inher end outwardly for a distance. a bar extend: ing into said chamber, a member secured to said push button within said chamber through which the bar passes for turning the bar upon rotation of the push button, and a yielding spring member located within the chamber having opposite yielding terminal portions normally F moving toward each other and bearing against opposite sides of the bar.

the bar to connect said spring member therewithand to. cause its turning with the push button.-

6. A structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said projections of said clip member are disposed in pairs and said locating and holding member is formed of an elongated bar of flat metal, the

inwardly extending legs of which lie, between the projections of opposite pairs of projections, said inwardly extending legs being reverse bent .to

provide terminal portions yieldingly pressing against opposite sides of said bar, said .bar at itsouter end portion, beyond the bottom of said member through which it passes, being. transversely weakened by removal of material in .said

bar-whereby the bar maybe broken at such weakened portion.

"7. In 'a structure as described, a rotatable knob,

a push button mounted on said knob for longitu dinal movement, said button being hollow and" having an entrlmce'ropening at: its inner endja.

rod having an end inserted into said button through said opening, and spring gripping means within said button engaging said rod, the inner end of said button being of sheet metal formed separately from the body thereof for retaining said spring gripping means within said button.

8. In door handle construction, the combination comprising: a knob; a tubular shank mounted to said knob centrally thereof; a push button mounted centrally in the outer portion of said knob and extending into said tubular shank, said push button being adapted for rotation and movement axially of said shank; said push button having therein a. chamber open at its inner end and c1osed at its outer end; a flat bar extending through said shank and having one end received into said chamber; a member within the inner end of said chamber and secured to said push button and having a passage therethrough through which passes said bar; a locating element within said chamber yieldingly engaging said bar on opposite sides thereof; projections on said member for operatively connecting said member with said locating element to cause said locating element to rotate in unison with said push button.

HERBERT YOUNG. 

